JamezLondon speaks on moving to LA, meeting Chris Tucker, and his upcoming project

Where are you from?I’m from Newark, New Jersey by way of High Point, NC.

But you live in LA now, what’s the story behind how you made it to the city of angels?
Now that’s a story.. Well, I was in NC at the time. My engineer Sebastin Schulz had moved to LA in August 2015 for and internship at West One Studios. Our homie Bonez went with him to help him move but I knew Bonez wasn’t coming back. I knew he shouldn’t come back, but anyway, they’re face timing me every other day to update me and let me know how things were going for them in LA. In the midst of our conversations they tell me they’ve gotten a management deal.

So, you can only imagine my excitement. I started screaming! I was saying, “Bruh I’m coming I swear I swear”. They say, “Good. because we’re waiting for you to sign. So I’m hype. Even more hype. Afterwards, I begin planning how to get some cash to book my ticket ASAP! I told very very few people about these plans. Those who knew only helped me. I’m beyond grateful.

But back to the story. So, first I told my mom and she was just livid. Wasn’t trying to hear me at all. She was being really negative at first. So, I was a couple months fresh off being fired and I was working odd jobs here and there and on September 28, 2015 I was in the car with my homie Gabe when I get a text from Bonez saying ‘October 11’. I text back saying, “What is this?”. He responds by saying, “It’s your interview date.” He had got me an interview at his job Zumiez in Glendale Mall. So, October 11th was embedded in my brain. I cared about nothing except leaving.

So, the time came to book the flight and I couldn’t get the one I needed in order to be in time. I called Bonez to tell him to reschedule for me AND SHE DID. MY BRO CAME THROUGH! So, that next week I worked my little jobs at the furniture market and this metro card warehouse. So, at the end of the week I collected those checks I had a grand total of $153.36. The ticket I was gonna buy was $291.71. My old head Big John and one of my best friends Deon Jacob sent me $50 to add to the ticket also. Now, I’m at $203.36. And I went into my moms room just to see if she had changed her mind or would even just give me her blessing. I told her how much I had and that it didn’t matter I wouldn’t stop until I got to LA. So, she gave me $100. I was BLOWN AWAY! I cried. I’m being honest. I knew this was a risk, but I had to go and my mom knew it too. And on October 15, 2015 I was in LAX for the first time. Wait.. I was on a plane for the first time. And for the first time ever I was on California soil.

Wow that is quite the story! I love hearing about people knowing what they want and going to get it even with nothing to their name. Admittedly, I’ve been there before myself. Has there a standout experience you’ve had while living on the west coast?
A standout experience… It would probably be when I was out with my girl and some friends for our homie Randy’s bday. We met at The Laugh Factory and on this day I saw and spoke to Chris Tucker.

How did you run into Chris Tucker?It was so random and not expected at all. We were at the Laugh Factory where Chris was performing that night. So he comes up and starts mentioning Friday, rush hour and stuff like that and we are not even fathoming that it’s him until the host says, “give it up for CHRISS TUCKERR”. I was like oh shit, it’s really him. Like you are my bro! He said yes, I know I’m me and laughed. He asked me how long me and my girl was together.

So back to the music – how did you get into music in the first place?
I’ve always been into music. I wrote my first rhyme at the age of 7. My uncle was a DJ, he still is. He use to have huge block parties and I would be up there looking at all the people dancing and pandering to him. As I grew up I would always writes in notebooks, but with no beat or physical instrumental. But I wasn’t really taking it seriously. So, in 2011 one night me and my homie Cortez get off work and we’re sitting on my porch smoking a blunt and it hit me! I’m mean, it hit me hard! Cortez had always rapped–he’s amazing freestyler and battle rapper. I would put him against anyone! He’s coming out with a win. So boom, that next day we booked a session and that’s how it began.

How would you describe your sound?
I call what I do LONDY TRAP. I once called it Trip Hop and still do sometimes, but I’ve seen Trip Hop being used by other people. I felt it was too general. It needed to highlight me and what I do and bring to the game.

When did you notice you started gaining some traction? What were the keys to your growth?
Umm probably around 2012 where I saw some growth. I had dropped a mixtape called “Dark Halls x Obscene Fashion” on DatPiff. And this was before you could pay to have DatPiff sponsor your tape. You had to earn it, and I did. Lots of people were telling me they loved it and that it was a really great concept. You can still go back to DatPiff and listen to it if you like. But it did far beyond my expectations. I had no keys to my growth. I just created. Thats all I want to do. My main key now is QUALITY.

Do you have any other dreams and goals in life that go beyond music?
WHAT???? HELLLLLL YEA!!!! I wanna be in movies and commercials and even TV shows. I write all my ideas that I get for movies. Like I really need to make meeting with Paramount because I have some great ideas for movies. But also, I want to be a producer and possibly even direct. So, I can really start now just creating a vision for me for the world to see.

Can you tell me more about RVRE Records? I see you reppin’ it consistently.
Rvre Records is a collective of people who share and create music. It’s our ASAPMOB you know? Soon it’ll turn into that and imprint.

Do you have any projects in the works we can expect from you soon?
Yes, I’m currently gearing up to release a new EP called ‘MY SILHOUETTE IS A SAVAGE’. It’s executively produced by LEAN.

Where do you see yourself next year?
To have more press releases, a video on TV, my EP playing worldwide, to have a song on the radio, larger shows, 10-15k fans.

Like this:

EMCEE is an urban lifestyle network focusing on the art and entrepreneur culture. Based in Detroit and Miami, EMCEE uses our broad network to uplift the community and showcase people who influence the culture and tell their stories.